Last week we learned that Oscar winner Michael Arndt ("Toy Story 3," "Little Miss Sunshine") vacated his job scripting the next film--Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan will now take over the script for the film....Now, insiders tell THR reports that that said script isn't even close to being ready.
Thus, producer Kathleen Kennedy and much of the film's production team have asked for the film's release to be pushed back until 2016. However, studio suit and CEO Robert A. Iger is "adamant" that 'Episode VII' must open in 2015.
Abrams is "more in sync" with Iger's directive to hit that 2015 release no matter what, leaving no margin for error or setback.
The script is said to include Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo in their later years. No official word yet if Mark Hamill could be tempted to return as Luke Skywalker but he is interested... Carrie Fisher had all but confirmed that she would be back in the role of Princess Leia--but then her rep told CNN that she 'was joking' . At first Harrison Ford was interested...but had since walked that back--Now his deal to appear as Han Solo is not only done but seemingly goes beyond Ep VII
Franchise creator George Lucas told Bloomberg Businessweek that he begun talks with original stars to have them return to for its new films -- before he had even begun the process of the ultimately $2 billion deal between Disney/Lucasfilm. It's been said that Lucas' actually spent about a year planning the franchise's future before handing the reigns of Lucasfilm over to Disney.
Fellow Original cast mates Billy Dee Williams and Anthony Daniels say that they are keen on returning to that "galaxy far, far, away". Earlier in July actor Ray Park said that he would be interested in playing Darth Maul again as well. Back in May LR said that "The Tudors" and future Dracula TV series star Jonathan Rhys Meyers was having his "name thrown around a lot" in connection with the movie. The actor says the talk is not true. David Oyelowo has seemingly been tagged for a role, while Michael B. Jordan reportedly met with Abrams personally about the film. Sullivan Stapleton and Daniel Day Lewis were hovering around the film as well
It's rumored that Ewan McGregor will return as the Force Ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi McGregor played the Jedi Master in The Prequel Trilogy while Alec Guinness portrayed the Force Ghost version of Obi-Wan Kenobi in The Original Trilogy. The Force Ghost is much the same way that actor Ian McDiarmid could return as Emperor Palpatine. The character met his end in the final reel of "Return of the Jedi"...
It was rumored recently that Alex Pettyfer ("Magic Mike," "I Am Number Four) likely auditioned for the role of Luke Skywalker’s son. Rachel Hurd-Wood reportedly went in for an audition to play the daughter of Princess Leia in the sequel. Latino Review claims they "got it confirmed via representation and other solid sources". Noise that Sherlock and "Star Trek Into Darkness" star Benedict Cumberbatch was poised to reunite with JJ were squashed but persit nonetheless. Saoirse Ronan is in there too. She even confirmed to Sky News that she auditioned for the film, but added "so has everyone". Former "Spartacus" star Liam McIntyre has reportedly read for the part of a Jedi role, while Ksenia Solo ("Black Swan") is apparently in contention for the role of Leia and Han Solo's daughter
Zac Efron and Ryan Gosling were rumored to be in the running for the eagerly awaited next film with Gosling in particular is also being talked about for the role of Luke Skywalker's son. Leonardo DiCaprio is said to have passed on an offer to appear. Pretty wild...
Kasdan ("The Empire Strikes Back," "Raiders of the Lost Ark") and Simon Kinberg ("Sherlock Holmes," "X-Men: Days of Future Past") have reportedly closed deals to pen the final two installments of the new "Star Wars" trilogy. Kasdan and Kinberg are also indeed developing stand alone/origin Star Wars features.
The series MVP composer John Williams is set to score Episode VII, Episode VIII and Episode IX.
Kasdan and Kinberg would also join the projects as producers with Kennedy.
Production is reportedly set to start on Tuesday January 21st 2014 in London for Episode VII.
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